Auckland FC - Once the Knights, Always the Knights

ΟΦΗ: Συμφωνία με την Όκλαντ Σίτι για τον Φελίπε Γαγιέγος - https://t.co/3cqLUBBS3L - Ανάψαμε φωτιά... #oficreta #FelipeGallegos #Chile #AucklandCity #ΟΦΗ #volofi https://t.co/s5HZiQgL3M

— OFICrete.gr (@oficretegr) September 1, 2024

Chilean midfielder Felipe Gallegos has left OFI Crete FC. Bound for New Zealand (or Oakland if you translate it 😂)

Aucklands 2nd visa signing.

Bays 1 & 2 for the Away Bays at Mt Smart?

For any other nix fans who are curious https://t.co/zlqFNQCeEs pic.twitter.com/yb02lB1hWM

— Butter Butter (@BarbarousesLove) September 2, 2024

At face value a pretty average sort of signing, looking at goals scored. Couple of okay seasons in the the Uruguayan top flight with Danubio. Prior to that only 5 games at Montevideo big guns Nacional. Last few seasons in the Argentinian Premiera Liga with Newell Old Boys

As a kid was with Deportivo Coruna youth team in Spain.
https://us.soccerway.com/players/guillermo-luis-may-bartesaghi/436619/

But then Fornaroli's (also played for Danubio & Nacional) record was fairly underwhelming before coming to the ALM - yes he had played a bit in Serie A.

Both those import rumours are pretty meh. I'm much happier with our two Japanese guys. 

I honestly believed AFC were gonna splash out for a marquee. Surely it would be locked in by now if that was the case.

Sounds like Auckland are pish 🤣

Nommag

I honestly believed AFC were gonna splash out for a marquee. Surely it would be locked in by now if that was the case.

Sakai was a strong opener but these two rumored ones just feel like ALM stock standard visa signings. Wonder if all the Kiwis they have signed has taken up a bigger portion of the cap than expected. 

Apparently Auckland FC are heading over on the ferry to Waiheke AFC this weekend, so I'm sure they would love to have this Uruguayan guy with them for that.

RR

Nommag

I honestly believed AFC were gonna splash out for a marquee. Surely it would be locked in by now if that was the case.

Sakai was a strong opener but these two rumored ones just feel like ALM stock standard visa signings. Wonder if all the Kiwis they have signed has taken up a bigger portion of the cap than expected. 

Brimmer and Hall too, neither of them would've come cheap I'd imagine

Just seen this on the AL page - my question is what are the plans for accommodating all these fringe All Whites in their squad? 

I know they will have some more foreigners coming in but how many of these guys are starting and how many minutes are they all expecting to get? Because unlike academy players I'm sure they're all expecting enough playing time to get in the All Whites frame.

I genuinely only think Paulsen is indisputably up to AL level - the rest have mostly spent their careers in weaker leagues (Tommy Smith the exception but is getting on)

Elliot has shown he is A-League level. Whether he's been able to maintain that with effectively a year out of the pro game is another question. Champness is definitely an A-League player too but similar disruptions.

Assuming the visa signings are quality and settle quickly, at the moment I'd say AFC would lineup something like -

Paulsen
Sakai(v), Hall, Pijnaker, Galloway/FDV
Gallegos(v), Howieson, Brimmer
May(v), Mata, Rogerson

Bench - Woud, Elliot, Galloway/FDV, Smith, Toomey, Randall, Champness, Gillion

So 5-6 Kiwis starting, and another 6-7 on the bench.

People get too hung up on what league players are currently at, or where they have been prior. Often it takes the right club, manager, being injury free and just pure luck to do well.


Pijnaker definitely good enough to go well in the ALM.
Smith hasn't been a regular starter anywhere for awhile. Not for MK Dons, Macarthur or the AWs. He seems content enough coming mostly off the pine, and likely offering alot of off the field experience to a new start up club.
de Vries (FDV) has played in the Swedish top flight, which is probably a bit above the ALM.
Elliot & Champness have periodically shown they can be good ALM footballers, JOWIC with a bit of star quality even.
For Rogerson to get an AWs callup now, he must be impressing at AFC in pre season. 
Youngsters Randall, Toomey & Gillion get their chance to step up. Older dude Howieson is good enough.
Mata will equal parts frustrate, and have his days where he scores a few or holds up the ball for others to score. But suspect Corica has plans to bring in a better visa out & out striker.

It's good for NZ football, and the AWs that all these Kiwis now have a club. Many were at Unattached FC prior, or not doing much. Even if just 1 or 2 crack on, to strongly put themselves in reckoning for the 2026 WC that's a good thing.

NZF HQ is just down the road, so they will certainly be more in Baze's orbit than those in lower profile overseas leagues, that are a bit off the radar, eg Armenia!

They have previously said that they will use all their imports, so scratch a couple of kiwis from that starting line up - likely Mata and Howieson.

I have a question. I am planning to buy a ticket for thé Bling vs Nix game in Auckland for my old grandad. The old guy doesn’t have a phone. I was going to print off the ticket and post it too him. Will this work? Can he get in with a paper ticket? I don’t live in NZ so I’m not sure how the local ticketing system works. Also which stands are covered? Thanks

austin111

I have a question. I am planning to buy a ticket for thé Bling vs Nix game in Auckland for my old grandad. The old guy doesn’t have a phone. I was going to print off the ticket and post it too him. Will this work? Can he get in with a paper ticket? I don’t live in NZ so I’m not sure how the local ticketing system works. Also which stands are covered? Thanks

Maybe post this question on the Auckland FC Supporters FB page. Someone there will likely have the answers

austin111

I have a question. I am planning to buy a ticket for thé Bling vs Nix game in Auckland for my old grandad. The old guy doesn’t have a phone. I was going to print off the ticket and post it too him. Will this work? Can he get in with a paper ticket? I don’t live in NZ so I’m not sure how the local ticketing system works. Also which stands are covered? Thanks

For over a year, my Ticketmaster app wouldn't generate the tickets i had purchased, so I would have to call Ticketmaster up and they would generate pdf tickets and email them to me.
I suggest calling Ticketmaster (i think you can still purchase over the phone?) and ask for them to generate a pdf/email ticket for you.

Upper East and Upper West Stand have cover. Lower East and Lower West have a little bit of cover further up. East Stand is closer to the pitch than the West.

Auckland FC 🤝 Cumulo9

NZ-based digital communications business Cumulo9 joins Auckland FC as one of the club's inaugural partners.

This partnership reflects Cumulo9's dedication to supporting local communities and fostering positive change.

Read more on our website 🤝 pic.twitter.com/KMIshusQFu

— Auckland FC (@fc_auckland) September 4, 2024

Logan and Finn signing anything in sight ✍️

Te Atatu AFC thanks for having us 🤝 pic.twitter.com/odt6ffyyfk

— Auckland FC (@fc_auckland) September 5, 2024

https://theniche-cache.com/football/2024/9/5/checking-in-with-auckland-fcs-inaugural-preseason-activities#google_vignette

Aotearoa's newest A-League franchise is now five pre-season games deep and beginning to resemble an actual, tangible football team

Have a read of this for some very early clues around line-ups, tactics, trial players, and squad trendshttps://t.co/8cb8Z4NPlM

— The Niche Cache (@thenichecache) September 5, 2024

Honestly speaking, Paulsen and Pijnaker are the only NZers who should feel safe about being round one starters (and their performances will determine what happens from there)... though these first five preseason games have offered positivity around Howieson, Mata, Rogerson, and even scholarship dudes like McKenlay, Toomey, and Gillion.

Pijnaker is safe? I thought the consensus around here is that he sucks and that he only gets picked for the AWs because he shines Darren Bazeley's shoes or some such.

Doloras

Pijnaker is safe? I thought the consensus around here is that he sucks and that he only gets picked for the AWs because he shines Darren Bazeley's shoes or some such.

Niche Cache’s opinion. 

There was an opinion that he would kick on after the Olympics, but his persistence in LoI cast shade on that. But according to others he was one of the better CBs in LoI and should be pushing to start here, if not starting.

Which underlines AucklandPhoenix’s point about having a bunch of players who are in the squad, but unlikely to be pushing the starters hard. 

If it's a back 4, which seems likely, for me Pijnaker starts ahead of Smith at left CB. Nando will go okay in the ALM, maybe even shine.

AFC have only named 3 CBs so far. You would think the 4th will be a young scholarship player.

Some of the likely Kiwis on the bench will push the starters hard, eg FDV verus Galloway. Others far less so you'd think eg Elliot verus Sakai

Doloras

Pijnaker is safe? I thought the consensus around here is that he sucks and that he only gets picked for the AWs because he shines Darren Bazeley's shoes or some such.

He’s a good player who makes at least one major mistake in every All Whites game he plays.

He shouldn’t start for the full strength All Whites because Boxall, Bindon and Surman are better than him.

He should start for Auckland because he’s better than Smith and De Vries.

Auckland FC will be heading to the Kate Sheppard and Chatham Cup Finals tomorrow at North Harbour Stadium. Come chat to the membership team, some players, and go in the draw to win!

Get your tickets through New Zealand Football now.

PLUS, we'll be at Drury United FC and Waiheke United AFC from 9am tomorrow!

Friar Tuck

Doloras

Pijnaker is safe? I thought the consensus around here is that he sucks and that he only gets picked for the AWs because he shines Darren Bazeley's shoes or some such.

He’s a good player who makes at least one major mistake in every All Whites game he plays.

He shouldn’t start for the full strength All Whites because Boxall, Bindon and Surman are better than him.

He should start for Auckland because he’s better than Smith and De Vries.

And if he could so kindly make at least one major mistake on November 2nd :)

claytonn

Friar Tuck

Doloras

Pijnaker is safe? I thought the consensus around here is that he sucks and that he only gets picked for the AWs because he shines Darren Bazeley's shoes or some such.

He’s a good player who makes at least one major mistake in every All Whites game he plays.

He shouldn’t start for the full strength All Whites because Boxall, Bindon and Surman are better than him.

He should start for Auckland because he’s better than Smith and De Vries.

And if he could so kindly make at least one major mistake on November 2nd :)

If he starts every derby game we’ve got the points in the bag.

I know we both haven't completed our squads yet but from the current standings id be quite confident on us taking Auckland down.
 From the rumoured imports Auckland are signing I would have expected more but Paulsen may save them a bit 

That would be a fair statement.

Disappointed in the two rumoured import players. But unfortunately thus far the rumours have generally been true.

Sakai I believe will be a great pick up and experience is important. 

But I was hoping/expecting other imports would fall into young/exciting players who have been scouted by the wider Foley group and are signed on a pathway to the Bournemouths of this world. The 26 year old and 32 year old rumoured South Americans at face value don’t seem to fit that profile.

They also said they would be signing a marquee. 

So if those rumoured imports are true I am expecting/hoping for a hell of a lot with the remaining two import spots. Hopefully one marquee and one young exciting talent who will take the A league by storm.

Here’s hoping.

Guess this is why Foley is rich, he is spreading his risk by getting others on board.

RR

Guess this is why Foley is rich, he is spreading his risk by getting others on board.

Welnix have tried for years to get other investors on board with the Nix, including taking games to Australia pre Covid.

For whatever reason seems Foley having more success in that space. Auckland just a much bigger commercial market no doubt a factor. But seems as an American he's also targeting wealthy Kiwis based Stateside.

Why would Adams invest in the Black Knights, but not the Breakers? Presumably because of Foley.

Great strategy- Adams, Williams and ex AWs really give this club validity across the entire sporting landscape.

The casual fan sees this and goes if an ex AB and NBA star are into football then maybe it’s not the crap sport I was told it was when I was at school where rugby players were revered.

Chiefytheman

I know we both haven't completed our squads yet but from the current standings id be quite confident on us taking Auckland down.
 From the rumoured imports Auckland are signing I would have expected more but Paulsen may save them a bit 

Adams has a lot of disdain for Basketball NZ, who he views as having been an obstacle to his career instead of helping, especially around funding for youth from disadvantaged backgrounds. It's one of the major reasons he doesn't play for the Tall Blacks. Wouldn't be surprised if that extended to the Breakers by association.

Chiefytheman

I know we both haven't completed our squads yet but from the current standings id be quite confident on us taking Auckland down.
 From the rumoured imports Auckland are signing I would have expected more but Paulsen may save them a bit 

I'm not confident at all. I think Auckland is looking good, and will be very competitive this season. Expecting them to make the top the 6.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/football/auckland-fc/auckland-fc-co-owner-noah-hickey-explains-why-things-will-be-different-for-new-a-league-club/U2C3VM2PJZFZVDWJ2Y4DYMTOYM/

Credit must be given to what the Phoenix have achieved in the A-League, Hickey says, that has allowed for them to thrive and survive in Australia and lay a platform for a second New Zealand team.

In particular he highlights the work of Phoenix chair Rob Morrison, who lead the Welnix group in their acquisition of the Wellington club from Terry Serepisos in 2011 at a time when the Phoenix’s future looked uncertain.